Russia’s ‘traditional friendship’ with China remains strong, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov says

Lavrov tells his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that Moscow was keen to maintain close cooperation with Beijing and emphasised their ‘mutual strategic trust’

China’s account of the meeting in Tashkent did not directly refer to the war in Ukraine, which has seen Russia hit by unprecedented sanctions

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Wang Yi held a rare mask-free photo opportunity with his “trusted friend” Sergey Lavrov. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 10:42pm, 29 Jul 2022Updated: 2:30am, 30 Jul 2022

The “traditional friendship” between Russia and China remains strong, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday.

The two met on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Uzbek capital Tashkent.

Lavrov quoted an old Chinese saying “it takes a long time to see someone’s true heart”, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry, and said Moscow wanted to maintain close contact and practical cooperation.

He added: “Russian-Chinese relations have withstood the test of international storms, fully demonstrating the traditional friendship and strategic mutual trust between the two countries.”

Moscow and Beijing have moved closer in recent years in the face of growing pressure from the United States and its allies.

This year Russia was hit by punitive sanctions from the West following its invasion of Ukraine – a move China opposes. Beijing’s stance, and refusal to condemn the attack, has further riled Washington.

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